motel void

MOTEL VOID: Your musical journey began with a cassette player and your first tape: Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream. How has that album influenced your creative path? And do you still listen to Smashing Pumpkins?

INDIEKUSH: Smashing Pumpkin’s Siamese Dream always has a special spot in my heart as it is the first album that i truly listen to religiously. I have taken a lot of inspirations for Billy Corgan, their frontman, in terms of his FX pedals that were used, and also his style of playing, involving a lot of mixolydian and dorian modes when he is not playing minor pentatonic. His style, coupled with his amazing guitar tone truly mesmerises me.

MOTEL VOID: You’ve mastered a variety of instruments, from guitar to traditional Malay instruments like the “Anak” and “Rebana.” Do you use these instruments in your tracks?

INDIEKUSH: Unfortunately i did not get any chance to use those traditional instruments in my tracks, but i am sure to give it a try on my next project!

MOTEL VOID: You’re from Bukit Panjang, Singapore. How would you describe the current music scene there? Do you have any favorite local venues and artists?

INDIEKUSH: Singapore have so much talent that rarely people outside of this country has any idea about and there are few venues and artists that are my favourites. But one of them unfortunately has been closed down, which is Room 0416, located in Golden Mile Complex. For my favourite local artists/band, i would have to go for Line Drive and Pathetic Ordinary.

MOTEL VOID: You’ve just released your new single “i saw you in a crowded mrt”. Will it be part of your new record? Could you describe the writing and recording process of this track?

INDIEKUSH: Yes! it will definitely be part of my new upcoming record that I am still in the planning stages currently.

For my latest song writing process would be the idea of seeing someone that you once loved, or had a thing for in an MRT. Pre-context, Singapore has this subway system called MRT and it’s essentially part of every singaporean lifestyle. So my thought process is to make a song that people could relate to in their everyday lives, which could leave a positive effect or could also be a painful reminder. For my recording process of this track, i did a completely new style as it involves a cassette player and tape. What i did is that i record my instruments into my DAW and then i would run it through a cassette tape, achieving that subtle wobbly tape. But i wanted it to be more low quality and gritty, so i run it through the cassette tape a second time. I call this process double layering in my own terms. This double layering process so far has been satisfying as i managed to get a tone that i truly fell in love with!

MOTEL VOID: Who or what is your biggest inspiration right now?

INDIEKUSH: My biggest inspiration currently would be old malay songs that was constantly played throughout our radios ever since we were kids. One of the songs would be “Benci Tapi Rindu” by Diana Nasution and “Tak Ingin Sendiri” by Dian Piesesha. I love how the low quality sounds that came out of the old radios we used to have gives me such a warm nostalgia feeling deep inside.